21 
FERNS. 
[ Cistopteris. 
3. — CISTOPTERIS ALPINA. 
ALPINE BLADDER-FERN. LACINIATED BLADDER-FERN. 
(Plate 1, fig. 12.) 
Cha. — Frond tri-pinnate, ovate, lanceolate. Pinnules ovate, 
blunt. Segments linear, obtuse, toothed. 
Syn. — Cistopteris Alpina, Hook, in Br. FI. Des v, — Cistopteris regia, Bernh . — 
Cyathea incisa, Smith in E.Bot., Gulp. — Cyathea alpina, Roth. — Cystca 
regia, Smith in E. FI. § FI. Br. — Polypodium regium, Linn., Hull. — 
Polypodium trifidum, With. Polypodium alpinum, Jacq., Schk. — 
Atliyrium alpinum, Spreng. Athyrium regium, Gray. — Aspidium 
alpinum, Sivz. Willd., Hook, in FI. Sco. 
Fig. — E. B. 163. — Jacq. Icon. vol.St. 642. — Seguier PI. Veron. supp. 1, 3. 
Des. — Root black, fibrous, tufted. Frond tri-pinnate, ovate, or 
ovate lanceolate, deciduous, herbaceous, two to six inches high. 
Pinnae about ten pairs, set rather alternately, except the lower pair, 
their length not twice their width. Larger pinnules broadly ovate, 
or nearly triangular, repeated cut into broadly linear segments, 
generally bidentate at the point. Rachis and midribs winged. Sori 
small, scattered, seated nearly at the apex of the segments. Margin 
of the indusium entire. 
These marks clearly indicate this to be a distinct species, far removed from 
both the others, and in cultivation instead of approaching the Fragilis or 
Dentata, it becomes yet more different, as the pinnules increase in length, but 
scarcely in width, as in the former cases. In general habit our present species 
is by far the tenderest and most numerously cleft, with a shorter and less 
brittle rachis than even Cistopteris Dentata. 
II ab. — Wall at Low Layton, Essex, 1836, Mr. W. Pamplin. Caernarvonsli , 
Mr. J. E. Bowman. Cwm Idwel, Mr. Griffiths. On Snowdon, near the 
Copper Mine, Mr. Winch, Ben Lawers, Mr. Maughan. Rocks at the Dropping 
Well, Knarcsborough, Mr. W. Christy. 
Geo. — Jena, Oldenburgh, and other parts of Germany, France, Italy, &c. 
Professor Don thinks that the Cistopteris Regia and Cistopteris Alpina arc essentially different, 
but Sir W. J. Hooker speaks so confidently of the Layton plant being precisely the same as that 
represented byJacquinand Schkuhr, which are the same as the Alpina of Don, and as our 
plant at the present time has the wedge shaped pinnules said by Mr. Don to bo peculiar to the 
Cistopteris Regia, we are bound to conclude that formerly, when the plant was vigorous, it took 
one character, and now that it is but struggling for existence it assumes the other. 
Mr. W. Pamplin, jun., of Lavender Hill Nursery, Wandsworth, near London, an indefatigable 
Botanist, is the re-discoverer of this plant, and kindly furnished me with specimens gathered 
in 1835, ono of which is represented entire in the last plate. The first account we have of the 
plant as British, is by Mr. Forster, in Symon's Synopsis, published in 1798. 
Mr. W. Wilson writes me, that the Welch stations refer to Cistopteris Fragilis, but I believe 
this to be an error of the pen, and that he intended to have written Cistopteris Dentata. I cannot 
be certain on this point, but certainly I have received the latter plant from Craig Breiddcn 
and from Snowdon, under the name of Cistopteris Alpina. 
